Two teenage girls were tragically discovered dead on top of a train in what authorities suspect was a dangerous act of ‘subway surfing.’
The lifeless bodies of the girls, one aged 13, were found at Marcy Avenue station in New York City early on a Saturday morning. Law enforcement officials believe the girls were imitating a risky trend that has gained popularity on social media platforms.
Subway surfing, which entails hanging from the roof or sides of a moving train, has become increasingly popular in recent months due to viral videos showcasing youths participating in the dangerous activity. New York officials report that five individuals have lost their lives this year attempting this dangerous stunt, which is equal to the total number of deaths from similar incidents between 2018 and 2022.
Police were alerted to the situation around 3 am after receiving a distress call about two individuals found unconscious at Marcy Avenue station in the Williamsburg area. Unfortunately, both girls were pronounced dead at the scene.
Expressing his sorrow, Demetrius Crichlow, the president of New York City Transit, stated, “It’s heartbreaking that two young girls are gone because they somehow thought riding outside a subway train was an acceptable game.”
In response to the tragedy, Mayor Eric Adams and mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani extended their condolences to the families of the deceased girls.
Police records show that three people lost their lives while subway surfing in August alone, with a 15-year-old boy meeting a similar fate at Queensboro Plaza station.
Efforts to crack down on this dangerous practice have been initiated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and New York City and state officials. Since 2023, drones have been deployed to deter subway surfers. Additionally, the MTA has collaborated with social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok to remove videos promoting this risky behavior.